Shower Curtain Rod

ABSTRACT

A shower curtain rod is a multiple-sectional rod composed of two supporting rods and at least one extension rod pivotally connected between the two supporting rods to allow a shower curtain sleeving and suspending thereon. Distal ends of the two supporting rods rotatably combine with pivotal hinge assemblies to mount on the walls respectively so that the extension rod is driven to different orientations by pushing and rotating one of the two supporting rods to selectively bend the shower curtain rod inward or outward to make the shower space variable with maximum benefit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shower curtain rod, and moreparticularly to a shower curtain rod that is composed of multiplesections pivotally connecting one by one in sequence and thus enables tocurve inward or outward for different orientation changes.

2. Description of Related Art

Shower curtain is set in shower room for covering or separating spaceswhen people take showers, therefore, the shower curtain with itssuspension rod is preferred to be retractable since it is usedtemporarily during shower time. It is important to make the showercurtain collectable and extendable easily (especially important fordesign of shower space inside recreational vehicles (RV), beach wagon,camping car, caravan and estate Car).

In design of conventional shower curtain structure, it is mainly fixedtype to attach a shower curtain rod on the walls to hang shower curtainthereon (depending on the corresponding angle and distance between twoopposite walls, the shower curtain rod is usually arc-shaped orrod-shaped). Although the shower curtain can be retracted or extended bypulling to slide on the rod, the shower curtain rod still keeps the sameshape in form of outward arc or straight. Therefore, shower space isunchangeable. This drawback only causes slight inconvenience in thebathroom inside house but is significant to the shower space inside thetraveling cars such as camping cars because the total space therein islimited to set all functional rooms such as kitchen and bedroom etc.Therefore, the feasibility of little space is even crucial so that theconventional shower curtain rod is not suitable for the camping cars inapplication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main objective of the present invention is to provide a shower curtainrod that is composed of multiple sections pivotally connecting one byone in sequence to change different structure arrangements to createmore space variation inside a shower room in use.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the shower curtain rod comprises:

two supporting rods adapted to respectively pivotally attach to walls;and

at least one extension rod pivotally connected between the twosupporting rods.

By having the above structure, the shower curtain rod enables to bendinward or outward to create more space flexibility.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a shower curtain rodin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shower curtain rod in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shower curtain rod, wherein a showercurtain is suspended on the shower curtain rod in use;

FIG. 4 is a first perspective operational view of the shower curtainrod;

FIG. 5 is a second perspective operational view of the shower curtainrod following the FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a third perspective operational view of the shower curtain rodfollowing the FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the shower curtain rod, wherein showercurtain rod is placed inward the shower space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A shower curtain rod in accordance with the present invention is amultiple-sectional rod composed of two supporting rods and at least oneextension rod pivotally connected between the two supporting rods toallow shower curtain sleeving and suspending. Distal ends of the twosupporting rods rotatably combine with two pivotal hinge assemblies tomount on the walls respectively so that the extension rod is driven todifferent orientations by pushing one of the supporting rods toselectively bend the shower curtain rod inward or outward to make theshower space variable with maximum benefit.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the showercurtain rod 1 comprises two supporting rods 11 pivotally bridged with anextension rod 12 by two pivoting joints 14 to allow a shower curtain 2sleeving and suspending on the shower curtain rod 1 (as shown in FIG.3). Each pivoting joint 14 has a bracket end 140 pivotally clamping adistal flatten head 120 of the extension rod 12, and an insertion end141 extending from the bracket end 140 and inserting into acorresponding end of one of the two supporting rods 11. The flatten head120 of extension is performed by a plug with two flat wings (notnumbered), one flat wing inserts into the corresponding end of theextension tube 12 and is secured on the extension tube 12 by a screw andthe other flat wings is clamped by the bracket 140. Distal ends of thetwo supporting rods 11 are rotatably and respectively fixed to walls bytwo pivotal hinge assemblies. Each pivotal hinge assembly comprises apivotal post 130 adapted to mount on the wall and a connecting joint 13with a bracket end 133 clamping the pivotal post 130 and an insertionend 131 inserting into a corresponding distal end of one of the twosupporting rods 11. Thereby, the extension rod 12 is operationallydriven to different orientations along with one supporting rod 11 whenthe other supporting rod 11 is pushed and rotated to make the showercurtain rod 1 bend inward or outward.

Because the two supporting rods 11 and the extension rod 12 areconnected by the pivoting joints 14 to perform a multi-linkage structureand the two supporting rods 11 are pivotally attached to the walls bythe pivotal hinge assemblies (as shown in FIG. 4), the shower curtainrod 1 in form of multi-linkage is capable to bend and move inward oroutward in operation. Therefore, when the shower room is occupied, theshower curtain rod is preferably bend outward to increase the showerspace and to make a shower curtain 2 enclose the shower space for a usertaking shower. After showering, the shower curtain rod 1 should be bentinward to diminish the shower space. With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 toshow the operation of shower curtain rod 1, one supporting rod 11 ispushed inward (the driving supporting rod) to make the extension rod 12incline to shower space. Meanwhile, the extension rod 12 drives theother supporting rod 11 (the driven supporting rod) to slightly moveoutward to allow the extension rod 12 and the driving supporting rod 11to get straight when the extension rod 12 shifts its orientation. Untilthe joint of the extension rod 12 and the driving supporting rod 11moves to an inner position, the extension rod 12 is driven entirelyinward along with the driven supporting rod 11. Lastly, the showercurtain rod 1 is bent inward completely inside the shower space toachieve the unused status close to the inner wall to save more space. Asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the saved space can be utilized for otherfunction such as suspending clothes. Therefore, the whole shower curtain2 with the shower curtain rod 1 is accommodated inside a showerspace/stall to close to the inner wall to cause no obstruction tolimited interior inside a camping car so that the user can have moreconvenience to walk inside the limited interior.

Each of the ends of the supporting rods 11 and the extension rod 12 hasa securing hole 111, 121 to engage with a corresponding pivoting joint14 or connecting joint 13 by a screw to provide fixing efficiency. Tomake the supporting rods 11, the extension rod 12, the pivoting joints14 and connecting joints 13 to be assembled easily, the pivoting joints14 and the connecting joints 13 respectively have recesses 142, 132defined on the insertion ends 141, 131 to accommodate stubs caused bypunching of the securing holes 111, 121 during manufacturing.

According to above description, the shower curtain rod 1 has significantcapability to retrieval back into the shower stall/space because theshower curtain rod 1 has four pivotal joints to provide the flexibilitythereto. When the shower curtain rod 1 is at the storage situation whilethe shower stall/space is unused, the saved space provides benefits suchas more functional variation or plenty living space for users.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentinvention of the preferred form has been made only by way of example andthat numerous changes in the details of construction and the combinationand arrangement of parts any be resorted to without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. A shower curtain rod comprising: two supporting rods adapted torespectively pivotally attach to walls; and at least one extension rodpivotally connected between the two supporting rods.
 2. The showercurtain rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shower curtain rod hasone extension rod connected to the two supporting rods by two pivotingjoints at ends, wherein each of the two pivoting joints comprises: abracket end pivotally clamping a distal flatten head of the extensionrod; and an insertion end extending from the bracket end and insertinginto a corresponding end of one of the two supporting rods.
 3. Theshower curtain rod as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insertion end oneach of the two pivoting joints has a recess; and the corresponding endof the one of the two supporting rods has a securing hole aligning withthe recess.
 4. The shower curtain rod as claimed in claim 1, wherein thetwo supporting rods are pivotally mounted on the walls by two pivotalhinge assemblies respectively; wherein each of the two pivotal hingeassemblies comprises: a pivotal post adapted to mount on the wall; and aconnecting joint with a bracket end clamping the pivotal post and aninsertion end inserting into a corresponding distal end of the one ofthe two supporting rods.
 5. The shower curtain rod as claimed in claim4, wherein the insertion end on each of the connecting joints of the twopivotal hinge assemblies has a recess; and the corresponding distal endof the one of the two supporting rods has a securing hole aligning withthe recess on the connecting joint.